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Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

This magazine has been going for 51 months (at the time of writing). This is a magazine primarily aimed at new users, but has of late expanded to take in the gurus and business users.

What do you get for your money?, well:
the cd edition has at least 2 cds crammed full of software, normally a distro of some description is included (whether a larger one like mandrake or something like Damn Small Linux), latest versions of KDE and Gnome, the Linux Documentation Project docs, Games, Apps, Graphics programs, Office programs. Admittedly, all of this can be downloaded from the web and are more likely to be more recent, but the distro inclusion saves hours of downloading and the programs, etc mean that those on dial up don't have to wait days to download. The DVD edition has the same programs as the cd edition, just more of them - distros included.

The magazine includes tutorials on things as diverse as the GIMP, PHP, CSS and writing a compiler. They also endeavour to explain about Linux with their "What on Earth..." section - issues have explained the Kernel, the GPL and clustered computing.

They have a lively Letters page and a very good Answers page. The magazine features LUGs in the UK and around the world.

A fairly recent edition has been the LinuxPro magazine which comes with the main magazine. This is aimed at professionals and discusses the legal ramifications of the SCO case, the future of Linux and anything which comes broadly under the business/professional umbrella.

So, for your money you get 2-3 cds/1 DVD, a magazine (a pretty thick one) and the slimmer LinuxPro mag.

Although published and aimed at the UK, this magazine has readers all around the world.

I bought the March issue of Linux Format after a friend of mine recommended it to me and i must say it's great!
Even though i'm a newbie, it's articles are very easy to understand. The product reviews (on firewalls) are also very good, as well as the tutorials (gimp,etc).
The accompanied CD's have a Mandrake boot CD distro and a lot of apps (latest kernels 2.4.24 and 2.6.1)
I paid 14$ (which i think is a bit expensive), but i think that this won't stop me from becoming a regular reader.
In general, i think it's a great magazine and you should give it a try! :-)

A caution for us newbies, their cds are great for us on dial as expressed in the review. Try downloading all of the kernel sources by dial up with download limits with cheap ISP companies and watch your bill go up.

However, they rarely have the full set of distro cds if the set is 3 or more such as mdk etc.

Now I am not suggesting you need the third cd or you should stay away from such a distro ok?

I love the hot picks which tells me that others also use Mozilla Firebird etc.

Its cheaper for me to buy this from the UK and I get it 3 weeks b4 the newsagents.

Came with slackware 9.1, and suse (pre-iso, ran from cd only) The articles were well written, and advice was clear and easy to follow. Reviews were honest and on the spot. Not just informative, but a good read as well.

Linux Format is the most accessible of the Linux Magazines available in the UK. I have read others, and they belong in the domain of Unix Pros and Geeks, loads of theory, etc, but only LXF as we call it, seems to be about using and enjoying your computer. For example the recent issue with Mandrake 10.1CE on the cover DVD had a 6-page tutorial to help a complete beginner get it installed, which included setting up Easy Urpmi, what programs they may find useful, disk partitioning, the lot.

Although a lot of the stuff on the DVD can be got more up to date on the net, it's great for those with Dial-Up. For me with Broadband, its reviews tell me what programs to try out, OK I may get a later version from the net, but had I not seen it in LXF I may not have known about it!

In the UK it is 1/3 cheaper on subscription. From what I see here, many of you around the world get the mag, which is a recommendation in itself. For those who cannot find it in their shops, you can order it from their web site www.linuxformat.co.uk if you have the patience, their site is like wading through treacle!

Without Linux Format I would not be on this site today. Having completely failed to install Debian, then tried an old version of Mandrake, I thought that Linux was a joke, and vowed never again, but then LXF had Mandy 9.0 on their coverdisks and I tried it again, this time it proved to be worth sticking with.

Every Mandrake download release appears on their coverdisks, often with extras like "contrib" stuff on their DVD. Also Gentoo, SuSE9.1, Fedora, etc have all been featured. I keep a spare partition just to try out new distros!

You can read about the future, too, the next big thing in making Linux a better system. I could not do without my 4-weekly fix (yup it's 13 times a year, Jan to Dec and Xmas). Keep up the good work, LXF!

Rediculously expensive and has the slowest website I have ever visited.

I've been reading this magazine for nearly two years now. Initially I tried a couple like 'Linux Journal' and 'Linux User & Developer'.

I think this is the best for beginners. Following the other "Format" magazines, it is the least overwhelming magazine to the new user, providing the 'bottom rung' to help you on the ladder while scaling well too.

However as you progress with GNU/Linux, it becomes a little less relevant - and although the remaining content is still unique, the simple fact is that it is not worth the money. Even the CD / DVD content is trivial if you have broadband.

However I have found that even with various RSS and newsletter subscriptions, this magazine still manages to fill a void.

This is a great magazine.
I look forward each month to its arrival on the
newsagent's stands.

Pro's

The accompanying cover DVD is a treat for all users
who don't have easy access to a broadband connection,
or are simply looking for a source of distros, tools, or
applications to play with.

The articles in the magazine are well written but of late
have been concentrating on personal interviews, and
Europe centric issues (fair enough it is a UK based
magazine).

The technical columns and articles on the other hand
contain pearls of wisdom, and an excellent starting
point for investigation of a range of issues and
products.

I judge most magazines I acquire on a "page rip rate".
I read magazines with a red pen in hand, and I tear out
all irrelevant, out of date, or uninteresting material
from magazines. Leaving me with useful distilled
reference materials, etc.

This magazine scores a very low rip rate from me!

Con's

In Australia this magazine is expensive, and arrives
months after it's publication date. So it pays to have
a good look at the cover DVD and article index, since
other publications may have already released key items
on the LFX DVD.

That said, however, I am often able to collect a number
of Distros from a single LFX DVD rather than buying a
number of alternative publications to achieve the same
result.

The website appears to have recently been altered to
address it's very slow performance. I have a look at
it from time to time. Sadly it seems to be the least
useful part of the publication.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a source of Distros to play with,
and a solid starting point to explore various linux
applications, tools, and issues then LXF is an ideal
source. Albeit cost and availability are a factors.